Nice things about Camden may be better left unsaid

By ,
December 4, 2012 at 9:16 AM

When the Atlantic City Alliance created its "Do AC" campaign, there was no way to know just how effective it would be in turning a once-brilliant, now blighted destination into the seaside success it has become.

Since the slogan hit the airwaves early this year, the city has watched casino revenue continue its graceful freefall from relevance, and has suffered the further humiliation of coming up short of last year's numbers despite the opening of the shiny, game-changing Revel casino — that glittering, multibillion-dollar mausoleum that has placed eighth in gaming revenue each month since it opened.

Well, hoping to see a similar turnaround, a new slogan has taken to a billboard in Camden, according to a column in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The board simply reads, "Say Something Nice About Camden."

Man, that's a tough one. As someone who lives and dies by the simile and metaphor, I can tell you that Camden is an easy one when you're looking to describe something with all the appeal of … well, you know, Camden. The artist who created the billboard mentions hearing the Walt Whitman quote about "the city invincible"; Camden right now would perhaps be better left as "the city invisible," with a more modest slogan, like, "Please Don't Bring Up Camden in Casual Conversation."

Besides, the only nice thing I can really think to say about Camden is that you can drive through it to Philadelphia without ever getting off the interstate.